


eight legs to the wall

by brandywine421



Category: Daredevil (TV), Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018), The Amazing Spider-Man (Movies - Webb)
Genre: Fluff and Crack, Friendship, Gen, Mentors, Networking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 08:14:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29913990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brandywine421/pseuds/brandywine421
Summary: "Aunt May, where did you even find this guy?  How did you get me out of jail before - where's Happy?  Is he - "She stopped in the middle of the lobby.  "Please."A rush of guilt and regret from putting her through so much washed over him."I appreciate you holding your questions in the cab but I need you to be strong and quiet for a little bit longer."  She stabbed the button on the elevator three times.  "Our new lawyer recommended we distance ourselves from Stark Industries for the immediate future.""Oh.  But we're at Stark Tower.""They changed the name.  Mr. Murdock wanted to meet us here, said he wanted full transparency for all involved parties, or something like that.  He reached out to me, offered pro bono legal services for you, subterfuge training for Spider-Man.""Wait - what? "*obligatory crossover madness 'what if Matt was Peter's lawyer' fic.
Relationships: Matt Murdock & Peter Parker
Comments: 12
Kudos: 43





	eight legs to the wall

_Eight legs to the wall_   
_Hit the gas, kill them all_   
_And we crawl, and we crawl, and we crawl_

* * *

"Aunt May, where did you even find this guy? How did you get me out of jail before - where's Happy? Is he - "

She stopped in the middle of the lobby, ignoring the crowds of media still swarmed outside the spread of windows. "Please."

A rush of guilt and regret from putting her through so much washed over him but she took his hand and squeezed firmly, steering him to the elevators.

"I appreciate you holding your questions in the cab but I need you to be strong and quiet for a little bit longer." She stabbed the button on the elevator three times. "Our new lawyer recommended we distance ourselves from Stark Industries for the immediate future and I may or may not be very upset with Happy right now."

"Oh. But we're at Stark Tower."

"They changed the name."

He remembered to be quiet when the elevator opened but he was glad she kept hold of his hand. He wasn't a kid anymore but he was grateful for the tether and (for the moment) his ruined reputation, since the lingering employees let them have the whole elevator to themselves.

"Mr. Murdock wanted to meet us here, said he wanted full transparency for all involved parties, or something like that. He reached out to me, offered pro bono legal services for you, subterfuge training for Spider-Man."

"Wait - " 

"His firm's very well-respected and he's not doing it for publicity, he's been very insistent about getting you off the 24 hour news cycle," she added.

"And you don't think it's suspicious that he reached out to you?"

She squeezed his hand. "My phone's been ringing off the hook for days, Peter, he's the first person that's made me believe we can get out of this without criminal records."

He was chilled. "You're not in trouble, though."

"The charges are still pending for everyone right now," she said under her breath. "Happy, too."

Oh God. 

"He wants your okay before he'll agree to help, insisted on it, so it's going to be your final decision."

The elevator finally opened on Pepper's residential floor. He knew Mr. Stark didn't live here during the Snap years but Pepper was slowly working on bringing Morgan into public life instead of hiding in the mountains.

"Peter!" Happy embraced him tightly. "May, I'm so sorry I wasn't at the airport to pick you up, your lawyer said it wouldn't look good and Pepper said - "

"It's okay, everything is crazy right now."

"Murdock told you not to come?" May asked behind him.

"Yes, and I know Mr. Murdock. I deferred to his judgment considering the circumstances. Peter, May it's so good to see you both." Pepper hugged them and gave Morgan a turn - wow, she was so much bigger than he remembered.

Happy squeezed his shoulder and Peter wished it made him feel better. But it was nice to be with people that didn't think he was a bad guy. He had to trust Aunt May.   
  


* * *

  
A blind guy stepped off the elevator once Happy had been sent for snacks with Morgan. Aunt May seemed surprised but Peter was distracted by Pepper's soft expression.

"Hi, Mr. Murdock, do you need help?" Aunt May hurried toward him but he was folding his stick and scanning the room through his red glasses. Well, scanning in a different way. A distantly familiar way. Huh.

"May Parker, it's nice to finally meet you in person. And this must be Peter. I'm Matt Murdock."

Peter's spidey-sense flared up with the handshake but the lawyer smiled and squeezed tighter, as if to signal it was okay. This guy was more than a lawyer. Subterfuge training?

"Matt, it's been a long time," Pepper said.

He turned to her, bowing his head. "I'm sorry."

Pepper nodded. "Me, too. Tony should have called before - "

"Don't apologize for him, you're not his PA and I'm not some nameless one-night-stand," Matt cut her off. "You're his widow and I'm a guy he used to know. I - I knew Nat a lot better than I ever got to know Tony."

Peter and May shared a panicked expression. What was all this?

"You - oh. Of course - "

Matt nodded, turning away. "I'm happy to help Peter, no need to drop Tony's name into it. And Daredevil is happy to help Spider-Man as long as he keeps those gross webs out of Hell's Kitchen."

Daredevil? **No**. **Way**. 

Pepper laughed, bright and warm, bringing Happy and Morgan from the kitchen to investigate. "Tony had no idea, did he?"

He clasped her hand and she tucked him into a hug. "God no, he would have never let me off the hook. Are you all right?"

"Getting there."

Pepper held his shoulders and leaned back to study his face. "Liho?"

"Don't say her name, she'll destroy more of my furniture for spite if she hears it."

"Oh, you found the cat?" Happy perked up, lifting Morgan to his hip.

"Yeah, a spy dropped her off a couple of days before the news hit. Said she didn't want to take her to the farm, whatever that means," Matt said. "Karen has pictures, gonna make her an office cat if she keeps clawing my ankles."

"Does Mr. Nelson know you're taking Peter on as a client?"

Matt smiled. "Not yet, but he's been harassing me about him since he saw what happened in London. Spidey helped his brother out of a nasty traffic accident pre-Snap."

* * *

  
Matt's Karen turned out to be a fierce, thin blonde who spent her introductions complaining about parking in Manhattan before hip-checking Matt off a stool to take over.

"We're on damage control at the moment," Karen said, flipping her hair as invitation to look at her battered laptop. "We've got a homeowner in Queens that's offering reduced rent for your family since your landlord is being a massive - butthole."

"It's a safehouse a friend doesn't need right now, completely above board and cleared in case the media digs into it," Matt said.

"Your employer's a lot more sympathetic, still can only offer leave without pay, but you should be able to go back as soon as we clear your name." Karen turned her attention away from Aunt May to him. 

"Peter, we've arranged for you to attend class via correspondence courses so it won't look like you changed schools or dropped out and shouldn't affect your transcripts if you keep your grades up. Matt's going to help you with your - afterschool activities but from here on out, nobody needs to know about Spider-Man's business."

"Okay, so you warned me about the move and the school - that's acceptable, isn't it Peter?"

He would hate missing senior year with his friends but wouldn't it be worth it if it kept him out of jail?

"We're going to do our very best to keep it temporary."

Peter nodded at Matt's words. "Thank you, yeah, anything I have to do."

"Okay then. Matt and I need to get back to our car before the meter runs out and we'll meet you in Queens as soon as we can," Karen said, packing up her bags.

Matt turned to Pepper with a serious, well, more serious, expression. "Unrelated to any of this, but if you happen to talk to Hawkeye, could you ask him to contact me? I promise to take you and your lovely daughter out to lunch once this is all over, but - "

"Of course, Matt. As Daredevil or - "

"Whatever it takes to get him to call," Karen answered for him. "I can't do the kind of research he needs when he won't give up dead women's secrets."

"We're not having this argument here," Matt frowned.

"Alexa can't hack KGB firewalls, Asshole," Karen sing-songed as she steered him to the elevator.

"I would never ask Alexa for something like that, I need her and the eavesdropping Feds fully focused on my shopping lists and thermostat."

"You really trust that guy, Pepper?" Happy whispered when the elevator was closed.

"Yeah. He managed to hide his identity from Tony all these years and he has Liho," she said, turning to Peter and Aunt May. "Trust him."

* * *

  
"Bring your gear, I'm told I have to feed you every four hours because you're a growing spider, but Karen's getting a lot better at lying to me."

Aunt May smiled, patting his shoulders as the movers passed around them. "He's not a baby, but he does have a high metabolism. Behave yourself, please?"

He took the special backpack from her and hugged her tight. "Thank you. I'll see you soon."

Matt took his elbow, nodded his head sharply to flick his hoodie over his head and shook out his cane. "I'll direct you to the address, but your first assignment is to clock how many security cameras and motion sensors are aimed at street level. No fancy scanner or computer search, use your spider-eyes."

"Um. I don't actually have spider eyes."

"Okay, your boy-eyes then, whatever works. I'm taking you for a consult with a retired solo hero, I need him to downgrade your stuff."

Peter knew he wouldn't be able to rely on Tony's AI forever but he wasn't expecting to be Spider-Man anymore at all. "Subterfuge training?"

Matt smiled brightly, changing the dour lines of his face like a switch. "Exactly. He's some kind of scientist, I usually tune out when he tries to explain what he does but he's got a personal interest in making sure Spider-Man stays out of jail."

"Should I put the mask on?"

"Nope," Matt hummed. "He'll know who you are as soon as you get there."

"How?"

"You'll see."

* * *

Peter's Spider-Tingle went off the charts when the spiky haired guy let them into the basement.

He whistled. "You've got brass balls, Matt, I'll give you that."

"Pete, this is Peter. I get to call you Pete because he's a Peter," Matt teased the new guy.

His danger instincts went quiet as he took in the buzzing basement lab filled with - Spider things. Whiteboards filled with web-solution equations and racks of Spider-Men suits in varying fabric and color.

"Don't push it, Hornhead," Pete warned. "Heya, kid. Nice to finally meet you even if we have to pinky swear never to talk about meeting."

Peter curled his pinkie and promised. "I didn't know there was already a Spider-Man in Queens."

"It's classified, and yes, I love saying that, but don't worry, I'm not going to sue you for copyright infringement. I'm not the OG anyway, I'm a much better dancer."

Matt looked like he was going to ask a question but reconsidered with a slight head shake. "Can you take a look at his stuff and see what has Stark-Tech or AI that needs reformatting?"

"A plus for effort with the tech speak," Pete winked at Peter, taking the offered web-shooter and darting over to a table with better lighting. "Yeah, this is - traceable, Devil's right about that. You got the suit, too?"

Peter didn't answer, too transfixed by the spread of modified web-shooters behind him in the cabinet. Matt elbowed him. "You still with me?"

"Stop harassing the kid, go say hello to my aunt so she won't yell at me later."

Matt waited for Peter's nod before disappearing up a set of stairs.

"You levelled up fast, took some balls to cozy up to a guy like Stark. Not that I know much about him, only moved here a few years back - stole a dimension hopping gadget from an ex, long story, and you're not old enough to buy me drinks to talk about it - but I don't have a problem - "

"Pete," Matt called from the stairs.

"I'm good, not angsting about old secrets - took my meds and everything," Pete called back, raising both middle fingers.

A totally not-hysterical laugh bubbled out of him. "I wonder if all Spider-Men have anxiety issues."

"I wish I could blame my problems on the spider bite but sadly, my aunt and pediatrician would disagree. Are you sure about going low tech?"

"I don't want to go to jail. The Raft is - "

"A floating torture chamber, you don't have to elaborate," Pete cut him off. "Matt's idea of low-tech is workout clothes and ropes on his fists, I guess I should clarify - "

Peter shook his head. "No, you - you should see when I'm working with. I'm fine with low-tech, sure, but - a downgrade is terrifying, like, you get that?"

"You have AI in your suit, that's terrifying to me - do you get that?" Pete countered.

He slumped.

"I am too old for this, but am so glad I get to watch Matt deal with you. We need another consult."

"Telling more people seems like a bad idea when I'm doing all this to keep my identity secret."

"Miles isn't available," Matt said, rejoining them silently. But there was no spike of fear and he was supposed to be trusting his instincts instead of doubting everything.

"Really? Or are you just keeping him to yourself because he's your favorite minion."

"I don't have minions. Or favorites."

Pete waited him out.

"Ugh. Fine."

"Who's Miles?" Peter asked.

"You'll see."

Great.

* * *

"I haven't felt this lost since I found out I missed five years of life. That's including being under suspicion for intergalactic terrorism or whatever they're charging me with," Peter confessed when he was settling on the rooftop with Pete while Daredevil sniffed around the edges.

"This world is bananas, I'll give you that, so many cameos and canon violations. There weren't a lot of vigilantes or - street level heroes as I like to call it - back in my 'verse but keeping the identity a secret on a budget? Daredevil's got more student loan debt than anyone else I know."

"Don't tell him about the crippling debt, you'll ruin his dreams of higher education," Matt called over.

"Super-hearing bastard," Pete chuckled.

A dark-suited Spider-Man swung onto the edge, tumbling Matt backwards with a laugh. "Hey, old man. Thought you were busy this week?"

"I need a favor, got a new client."

Spider-Man, what, #3 of the day? - waved a greeting. "Nice one, D - what's the favor?"

"Wondered if you'd help me scale back Spidey's dependence on Stark-tech," Matt asked.

The kid swiped off his mask, blinking wide brown eyes at him. "I'm Miles. Hey, Pete."

"Hey, kid."

"So can you help?" Matt asked.

"No," Miles said, holding up his notebook so Peter and Pete could read. "NO OFFENSE - NEED TO DO THIS 1ST - NICE TO MEET YOU AND TOTES WILL HELP."

"Are you mad?" Matt frowned. Peter glanced at Pete, wondering if he knew what was going on.

"Yes. You're supposed to be all about forgiveness and second chances and reformation - but you won't help Sam."

Sam? Pete shook his head, clearly out of the loop.

Matt let out a frustrated sigh. "Come on, Miles, we've talked about this - " He spun around, kicking a leg out. There was a slight shimmer as a man's body impacted the roof.

Pete moved to intervene but Miles waved him off. "It's okay, he's a friend - "

"That doesn't look very friendly."

"Wow. He's - wow. I never saw him fight up close," Peter flushed, watching Matt ninja-fight the intermittently invisible new guy.

Miles nodded. "His senses are super but his body's not, that's why I want him to help Blindspot like he's helping me."

Pete snapped around. "Blindspot? That guy tried to kill him - "

"He's very sorry and he's been apologizing for ages - everybody tries to kill Daredevil at some point, it's like a rite of passage. Or maybe just for ninjas?" Miles lowered his voice, chewing his bottom lip.

Matt slammed the guy against the roof and the suit finally flickered to show a lanky body frantically making the 'tap out' gesture. "I can't - "

"I gave up on my mother, I don't have anything but this - please - " Blindspot said as Matt loosened his hold.

"Your mother?"

Blindspot pulled off his mask to reveal a young Asian man. "You were right about The Hand but - I had to try."

"Aw hell," Matt sighed, slumping to sit on the roof.

Miles smiled brightly. "Great, glad that's settled. Sam's great, he's nineteen and he knows lots about everything. Is Matt helping you with the whole terrorism thing?"

"I think so, just not sure how it's going yet. He's just introducing me to Spider-Men I didn't know about."

Miles nodded thoughtfully. "If you make it through the night, you'll have to come to my place alone one night and I'll introduce you to ALL the Spiders."

"Do not listen to him, there are no such things as alternate dimensions with evil versions of me," Matt said, brushing himself off and offering a hand for the new guy - Blindspot, what a great name - to his feet.

* * *

"Maybe instead of levelling up, you should try levelling down," Sam suggested.

Matt swatted at him, scowling. "Shut up, I hate you again."

Miles perked up so Peter pushed aside the knot of disappointment.

Pete narrowed his eyes, pointing at Matt accusingly. "You planned all of this, didn't you? You're giving him a whole network - "

"I work alone, friends are for losers," Matt told the room, pointing a finger in their general direction.

Pete opened a map on his tablet and shoved it into Peter's hands. "You'll have an off-grid contact in every part of the city."

Peter blinked at the screen. Daredevil was giving him a safety net - of people, not programs.

"He's never introduced me to the sub-street level heroes before," Miles frowned.

"Thought you had a cop contact," Sam frowned back.

"Oh. Right," Miles winced.

"I cannot train people, I can barely feed and clothe myself on a regular schedule, but I won't turn a blind eye - "

"Ha - " Pete grinned. It was reassuring that they were friends and not just associates.

Matt grinned and continued. "To a bunch of well-meaning kids trying to keep people alive - and not raise our murder stats. I know how hard it is to walk away when you have abilities that could help."

"So if you're not going to train us..."

"I'm going to make sure you can take care of yourselves, which includes calling when you're in over your head, giving you a shadow when you're being hunted, getting you gear and medical care that you can access on your own. I'm not a team player, I'm not a teacher, I struggle keeping my tiny corner of the world safe - but I can teach you the rules I've survived with, and help you make up your own."

Miles nodded firmly. "He doesn't make me stop tagging the city as long as I don't get caught."

"I've never seen you doing it," Matt raised his chin defiantly. "And he learned his camera angles and taught them to me - which you and Blindspot still have to complete."

"Subterfuge training, totally on it," Peter agreed.

"Yes, whatever you say, Matty, now introduce us to your secret friends, you sneaky asshole," Pete laughed.

"I have had so many sanity checks because of these guys, but we're on the same side and they love this city, too," Matt said. "Right now, Peter needs to stay absolutely off the grid as Spider-Man, but we all know how hard it is to stand down when something's happening."

* * *

They did 'level down' if meeting in a 'closed to the public after dark' park counted. No roofs within webbing distance and nobody in a mask. Matt said they didn't need them and, well, Peter needed to trust him. Miles and Sam had done wonders for his optimism about his new training.

Matt shifted toward the shadows, but Peter stayed back with Miles and Sam when the large, bulky and green - wait - figures moved into view.

"Turtles. They're real," Pete whispered, awestruck.

"Sorry, you know I hate the sewers, the echoes drive me nuts - not as bad as the subway, but it's never going my thing." Matt proceeded to fist bump the - yep, still turtles - newbies and greet the looming robed guy with a bow. "Splinter."

Pete whistled low in his throat and Peter nodded in time with Miles. Turtles and Rat that could talk. Got it. 

"Daredevil. Didn't that boy try to assassinate you recently?" 'Splinter' asked, studying Sam with naturally beady eyes.

"He apologized," Matt shrugged. "Have you been keeping up with the international news?"

One of the turtles blinked at him, moving silently into his personal space. "Did Spider-Man apologize to you, too? Of course we watch the news, we have cable and internet."

"The high-speed kind, totally got a deal," another turtle nodded eagerly.

"He's being framed, I'm working on it. You guys know how I feel about government and super-corporations getting involved in vigilante business. Say the thing." Matt nodded his chin toward him.

"I'm doing my best?" He needed to take better notes, especially with the rapid-fire introductions.

"Close enough. Your kids are always whining about needing friends their own age. Sam, Pete and Miles can watch his back in the air, figured the turtles could help me shadow him at street level. I stick to the roofs, but your team knows the streets in a wider range than I do."

"Those two have camouflage stuff, but you guys must be great at staying hidden," Peter realized. "I thought you were urban legends."

"I'm Donatello and I would love to see your gear," one said, barely concealing 'grabby hands'.

"It needs to be just for him, not linked to anyone else, I'm running all the scans," Pete jumped in, equally eager. "Can I see your gear?"

Matt cleared his throat but Splinter seemed to be amused, if there was a rat expression for that. "Later."

"Does that mean you'll let us in the gym again?" Raphael asked, spinning one of his cool sai fork things.

Matt winced and Pete let out a knowing laugh.

"You locked them out?" Miles gave him a disappointed look.

Matt flushed and Pete cough-laughed. "They should knock before coming in unannounced."

"His super-hearing doesn't work when he's not wearing clothes," Michelangelo said. The other three rolled their eyes.

"They caught him with a date, some grown-ups find crime-fighting to be - hot," Pete whispered.

Miles raised his hand. "How old do you think we are?"

"Since you raised your hand to ask a question - not old enough to discuss sex. No parents in this group - unless - you're not their dad, are you, Splinter?" Matt paused.

"They are turtles, Matthew. I am not."

"Fair enough. Their invitation to the gym is reinstated with knocking rules in place."

* * *

Peter liked Matt's gym, even if it needed more lights. Miles had already linked up with Ned and MJ anonymously to help with their social media support campaigns, Sam and Pete were plotting updates to his suit without Tony's level of AI integration, the turtles gave him a map of the sewers and a tool to get manhole covers opened and closed in a flash, and Matt - well, Matt had been playing with Mike's nunchaku and pretending not to eavesdrop on absolutely everything.

He was almost relaxed when a hulking stranger in red marched into the room and sent the Spiders and Turtles into fighting position.

Matt only sighed, passing off the nunchucks so he had his hands free to start a fistfight with - oh shit - Deadpool! He couldn't wait to tell Aunt May he got to meet Deadpool!

They watched the oddly bloodless fistfight devolve to wrestling for a few minutes before Matt spoke. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be watching May - " Matt asked Deadpool, pinning him to the floor.

"Foggy and his girl showed up with a box of wine and kicked me out, said two out of three partners topped your instructions." Deadpool flipped him over and scrubbed his face into the tile, giving them a bright wave. "Hi, Children!"

Peter shoved past Leo and Sam to yank Deadpool off Matt and toss him against the wall. "Matt, you sent Deadpool to watch my Aunt?"

"Our firm retained his services as a security specialist."

Peter shook him roughly and pinned him in a hug. "Oh my God, thank you, even if he's a dick, he's like her favorite hero."

"Eh, not so much anymore, I dropped some boxes and broke a couple of windows. But we're still cool," Deadpool shrugged.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> lyric tag belongs to mcr


End file.
